Phonograph tone arm jacket

ABSTRACT

An envelope having an opening extending along one marginal edge portion and provided with a closure flap foldable over the open edge portion of the envelope. The free edge portion of the flap and the side of the envelope over which the flap is foldable include coacting structure for releasably securing the flap in a closed position. The flap of the envelope is defined by an extension of one side panel of the envelope and the extension defines a base end portion secured to the corresponding side panel of the envelope and a free end portion, a fold zone for the flap being spaced outwardly of and generally paralleling the open side of the envelope and the extension, in one side edge portion thereof including a laterally opening notch through the center of which the fold zone extends, the notch defining a passage extending into the envelope when the flap is disposed in the closed position to accomodate an elongated member having one enlarged end within the envelope and its other end projecting outwardly of the envelope, the flap preventing withdrawal of the enlarged head from within the envelope.

United States Patent [191 Workman PHONOGRAPl-l TONE ARM JACKET [76] Inventor: Donald S. Workman, 3745 S.W.

5 9th AYE; at stFle-llit- 22 Filed: June so, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 268,119

[52] U.S. Cl 150/52 R 6/1971 Koyach 150/52 R Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Clarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT An envelope having an opening extending along one [451 May 7, 1974 marginal edge portion and provided with a closure flap foldable over the open edge portion of the envelope. The free edge portion of the flap and the side of the envelope over which the flap is foldable include coacting structure for releasably securing the flap in a closed position. The flap of the envelope is defined by an extension of one side panel of the envelope and the extension defines a base end portion secured to the corresponding side panel of the envelope and a free end portion, a fold zone for the flap being spaced outwardly of and generally paralleling the open side of the envelope and the extension, in one side edge portion thereof including a laterally opening notch through the center of which the fold zone extends, the notch defining a passage extending into the envelope when the flap is disposed in the closed position to accomodate an elongated member having one enlarged end within the envelope andits other end projecting outwardly of the envelope, the flap preventing withdrawal of the enlarged head from within the envelope.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 PHONOGRAPII TONE ARM JACKET The enclosure or jacket of the instant invention has been primarily designed as a means for enclosing and thus protecting tone arm cartridges of turntables on display in retail outlets.

The head end of the tone arm of a turntable conventionally supports the associated cartridge in a removable manner and there has been an increase in the incidents of tone arm cartridges being removed from turntables on display and stolen. In most cases, the cartridges are supported from the tone arms in a manner such that the cartridges may not be removed from the tone arms unless access may be had to the head end of the tone arm. Accordingly, the main object of thisinvention is to provide an enclosure for the head end of the tone arm of a turntable constructed in a manner whereby substantially the entire head end of a tone arm, and the cartridge supported therefrom, may be enclosed and thus protected against theft.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to providea phono graph tone arm jacket or head enclosure constructed in a manner so as to be adapted to be utilized in conjunction with substantially all phonograph tone arms.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a protective enclosure for a phonograph tone arm head which may be secured to the associated tone arm and locked into position thereon by means of a key operated lock. I

An ancillary object of this invention is to provide a protective enclosure which may be utilized to protect and prevent access to enlarged end portions carried by any elongated member of reduced cross-sectional shape.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enu' merated herein is to provide a phonograph tone arm jacket or enclosure in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout,

-, and in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical phonograph record turntable having a tone arm swivally supported therefrom and with the jacket or enclosure of the in stant invention operatively associated with the head or free end of the tone arm so as to enclose the head end of the tone arm and thus protect the cartridge thereof from theft;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the jacket with the closure flap thereof in an open position; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary, vertical sectional view illustrating the closure jacket mounted upon the free end portion of the tone arm of the phonograph record turntable illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring now more'specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a phonograph record turntable including a base 12, a rotatable record supporting deck 14 and a tone arm 16. With attention in-.

1 2 j vited more specifically to FIG. 3 of the drawings, it may be seen that the free end of the tone arm 16 includes an enlarged head 18 from which a needle cartridge including a needle'eler'nent 20 is supported.

In most cases, either the head 18 is removably supported from the arm 16 or the cartridge is removably suppported from the head. Accordingly, in order to protect the head and/or cartridge from being stolen, the envelope or jacket referred to by the reference numeral 22 and comprising the instant invention is provided.

The jacket 22 comprises a generally flat envelope or similar enclosure having a pair of flexible side panels 23 and 24 fused together along corresponding edge portions in order to form an envelope which is open along one side edge. The side panels 23 and 24 include edge portions 26 and 28 which correspond and are not secured together in order to form an opening in the envelope or jacket 22. The side panel 24 includes an inte- The extension 30 extends lengthwise outwardly from the edge portion 28 of the side panel 24 and includes an outwardly projecting tongue 36 on its free end including a narrowed outer end portion 38 bent back upon itself and secured to the base end of the tongue 36 by'means of a rivet 40 in order to form a loop 42. The loop 42 extends through a bail-type anchor 44 carried by a latch member 46 including a depressable spring urged latch element 48. The central portion of the outer surface of the side panel 23 has an anchor plate 50 secured thereto and the anchor plate 50 includes a bail-type keeper 52 through which the free end of the latch member 46 may be projected. The latch element 48 includes an inclined cam surface 54 for engaging the latch keeper 52 upon insertion of the latch member 46 through the keeper 52 and engagement of the cam surface 54 with the latch keeper 52 as the latch member 46 is being inserted through the latch keeper 52 causes the latchmember 46 to be retracted so as to pass beneath the latch keeper 52. However, once the latch element 48 has passed beneath the keeper 52, the latch element 48 is free to move upwardly under the biasing action of the associated spring (not shown). The latch element 48 is of the locking type including an opening 56 in which a key may be inserted for turning in order to lock the latch element 48 in the upper position thereof illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings so as to prevent withdrawal of the latch member 46 from beneath the latch keeper 52 and thus maintain the flap 30 is a closed position across the open side ofthe jacket 22.

The extension of flap 30 includes a base end portion 58 which is secured to the edge portion 28 of the side panel 24 and a free end portion '60 from which the tongue 36 is supported. A folding zone 62 extends across the base end portion 58 of the flap 30 a spaced distance from the edge portion 28 of the side panel 24 with which the flap 30 is integrally formed. The zone 62 generally parallels the edge portions 26 and 28 and the side edge 32 of the extension of flap 30 has a laterally outwardly opening notch or recess 64 formed therein through the center of which the zone 62 extends, the inner end of the notch 64 being wider than the outer end thereof opening outwardly through the side edge 32. Accordingly, when the flap 30 is folded across the open side of the jacket 22 and downward over the outer surface of the side panel 23 with the latch member element 48 passed beneath the latch keeper 52, the notch or recess 64 defines a passage to accomodate the arm 16 when the enlarged head 18 is disposed within the closed envelope.

In operation, the jacket 22 is applied to the head 18 of the tone arm 16 while the flap 30 is in the open position and that portion of the arm 16 projecting outwardly through the open side of the jacket 22 is registered with the notch or recess 64. Thereafter, the flap or extension 30 is swing to the closed porition and locked in the closed position to prevent unwanted removal of the enclosure or jacket 22 from the head 18. With the head 18 thus fully enclosed, removal of the head 18 by unauthorized persons is prevented.

It is also to be noted that the jacket 22 may be readily utilized to enclose the male plugs of electrical appliances which are not to be used except by authorized personnel. In addition, there are many other items which may be enclosed within the jacket 22 and which are carried by the ends of elongated members which may be received through the notch or recess 64 when the flap or extension 30 is in the open position.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a phonograph tone arm having a free end portion provided with an enlarged head,

' one pair of corresponding edge portions of said side walls secured together, said one pair of edge portions defining an open edge portion of said envelope, the edge portion of said pair of edge portions defined on said first side wall including an elongated integral extension flap including opposite side edges and projecting edgewise outwardly from said one edge portion, said flap including base and free end portion, said base end portion being foldable across the open edge portion of said envelope and the free end portion of said flap being swingable down over the outer surface of said second side wall, said second side wall and the free end portion of said flap including means releasably securing the free end portion of said extension flap to said second side wall, said foldable base end portion having a laterally outwardly opening notch formed in one of said opposite side edges, the inner end of said notch being wider than the end thereof opening outwardly through said one opposite side edge, said head being wholly received in said envelope, said notch providing a passage extending into interior of said envelope from the exterior thereof, said tone arm being received through said passage, said means releasably securing the free end portion of said flap to said other side wall including lock means.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said corresponding edge portions of said panels, other than said one pair of corresponding edge portions, are fused to gether. 

1. In combination with a phonograph tone arm having a free end portion provided with an enlarged head, an enclosure for said head, said enclosure defining a flexible envelope consisting of first and second flexible side walls disposed in side-by-side relation with all but one pair of corresponding edge portions of said side walls secured together, said one pair of edge portions defining an open edge portion of said envelope, the edge portion of said pair of edge portions defined on said first side wall including an elongated integral extension flap including opposite side edges and projecting edgewise outwardly from said one edge portion, said flap including base and free end portion, said base end portion being foldable across the open edge portion of said envelope and the free end portion of said flap being swingable down over the outer surface of said second side wall, said second side wall and the free end portion of said flap including means releasably securing the free end portion of said extension flap to said second side wall, said foldable base end portion having a laterally outwardly opening notch formed in one of said opposite side edges, the inner end of said notch being wider than the end thereof opening outwardly through said one opposite side edge, said head being wholly received in said envelope, said notch providing a passage extending into interior of said envelope from the exterior thereof, said tone arm being received through said passage, said means releasably securing the free end portion of said flap to said other side wall including lock means.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said corresponding edge portions of said panels, other than said one pair of corresponding edge portions, are fused together. 